Flat for a carding engine

Abstract

A flat for a carding engine comprises an elongate support bar (11) designed to be supported at each end thereof on a bend at the respective side of the carding engine. Carding elements (19) are carried by an elongate carrier (14), the support bar and carrier having interengaging formations (15,16) which restrain these parts against relative lateral movement. Adjusting means (24,25) are provided in at least two spaced locations along the support bar for adjusting the spacing between the support bar and the carrier. Each adjusting means has an associated locking means (23) for releasably locking the support bar and the carrier in an adjusted position in order to achieve a required setting of the carding elements in relation to the main carding cylinder.

I claim: 
     
       1. A flat for a carding engine, the flat comprising an elongate support bar having opposite first and second ends provided with means for operatively engaging respective bends at opposite sides of the carding engine, an elongate carrier for carding elements, means restraining the support bar and the carrier against relative lateral movement, adjusting means in at least two locations along the support bar for adjusting the spacing between the support bar and the carrier, and locking means for releasably locking the support bar and the carrier in an adjusted position. 
     
     
       2. A flat according to claim 1 in which the means for effecting lateral restraint comprise interengaging formations on the support bar and carrier. 
     
     
       3. A flat according to claim 2 in which the interengaging formations are of substantially constant cross-section throughout the length of the support bar and of the carrier. 
     
     
       4. A flat according to claim 1 in which the support bar and the carrier are extrusions. 
     
     
       5. A flat according to claim 1, in which the carrier is shaped so that a strip of card clothing may be clipped thereto. 
     
     
       6. A flat according to claim 1, in which the adjusting means comprises a screw extending through a tapped bore in the support bar and having an end engaging the carrier. 
     
     
       7. A flat according to claim 6 in which the adjusting screw is hollow and the locking means is a bolt extending through a bore in the adjusting screw and into a tapped bore formed in the carrier. 
     
     
       8. A flat according to claim 1 in which a flexible sealing strip is secured to and extends the length of the support bar, the strip being such as to be engageable with the support bar of a next adjacent flat. 
     
     
       9. A carding engine having a carding cylinder, first and second bends at opposite sides of said carding cylinder, and a plurality of flats in operative relationship with said carding cylinder, each said flat comprising an elongate support bar having opposite first and second ends provided with means for operatively engaging respective ones of said first and second bends, an elongate carrier for carding elements, restraining means restraining said support bar and said carrier against relative lateral movement, first adjusting means adjacent to said first end of said support bar, second adjusting means adjacent to said second end of said support bar, at least one further adjusting means located intermediate said first and second adjusting means, each of said adjusting means being operative to adjust the spacing between said support bar and said carrier in the vicinity of that adjusting means, and locking means for releasably locking said support bar and said carrier in an adjusted position. 
     
     
       10. A carding engine having a carding cylinder, first and second bends at opposite sides of the carding cylinder, and a plurality of flats in operative relationship with the carding cylinder, each said flat comprising an elongate support bar having opposite first and second ends provided with means for operatively engaging the respective bends, an elongate carrier for carding elements, means restraining the support bar and the carrier against relative lateral movement, adjusting means in at least two locations along the support bar for adjusting the spacing between the support bar and the carrier, and locking means for releasably locking the support bar and the carrier in an adjusted position. 
     
     
       11. A flat for a carding engine, said flat comprising an elongate support bar having opposite first and second ends provided with means for operatively engaging respective bends at opposite sides of said carding engine, an elongate carrier for carding elements, restraining means restraining said support bar and said carrier against relative lateral movement, first adjusting means adjacent to said first end of said support bar, second adjusting means adjacent to said second end of said support bar, at least one further adjusting means located intermediate said first and second adjusting means, each of said adjusting means being operative to adjust the spacing between said support bar and said carrier in the vicinity of that adjusting means, and locking means for releasably locking said support bar and said carrier in an adjusted position. 
     
     
       12. The flat of claim 11 wherein said restraining means comprise interengaging formations on said support bar and on said carrier. 
     
     
       13. The flat of claim 12 wherein said interengaging formations are of substantially constant cross-section throughout the length of said support bar and of said carrier. 
     
     
       14. The flat of claim 11 wherein said support bar and said carrier each comprises an extrusion. 
     
     
       15. The flat of claim 11 wherein said carding elements comprise a strip of card clothing, and clip means are provided for clipping said strip to said carrier. 
     
     
       16. The flat of claim 11 wherein each of said adjusting means comprises an adjusting screw extending through a tapped bore in said support bar and having an end engaging said carrier. 
     
     
       17. The flat of claim 16 wherein an individual locking means is associated with each of said adjusting means, each adjusting screw is hollow and each locking means is a bolt extending through a bore in the respective one of said adjusting screws and into a tapped bore formed in said carrier. 
     
     
       18. The flat of claim 11 wherein a flexible sealing strip is secured to and extends the length of said support bar, said sealing strip being such as to be engageable with the support bar of a next adjacent flat.